Crystal River current., 1887-02-19
GRIMES ROMANCE.

CRIMES ROMANCE.
n Curious story which Illustrates
That Time Indeed Works
WonderA.
Here is q little story from New Jer-
sey that carries with it q large-sized
moral. It would be hard to find in real
life, in any cline or under any sun, an
exact counterpart of this truesome tale.
One year ago there dwelt in one of the
larger New Jersey towns two individu-
ais. They were dwellers under the
same roof. partook of food from the
same table. cooked over the same
range. and tor most OF the hours of the
twenty-four they breathed almost the
same atmosphere. Though these two
were 80 closely associated in their
daily walks. it must not be inferred
that they were companions. At least
they were not then. That they are so
now and how 1t came about, it is the
purpose of this pen to reveal. When
the story opens, as the novel writer's
say, one of these individuals was presi-
dent of the bank; the other was a
saucy, but very bright young colored
girl, kind of nursey-maid for the
bank presidents fashionable wife.
The bank president was the haughtiest
of his race. The bluest of old Dutch
blood coursed his veins. He was
vestryman in the most fashion
able church in the Jersey town.
He dwelt in a noble house.
He had five servants, includ-
ing the saucy young colored girl His
wife kept her carriage and the naughty
bank president gave gorgeous dinner
parties regularly every fortnight at
many of which the floral decorations
alone cost as much as the usual salary
of one of his clerks. The bank man
rarely associated with the townspeople.
He was made of different clay. One
day the saucy young colored girl stole
the baby's silver mug and hid it in the
ash barrel. 1t was found. She was
taxed with the crime. confessed and q
relentless judge sent her to the Trenton
penitentiary for two years. Two
months later the naughty bank presi-
dent swallowed dose of morphia, but
it was discovered in time, and the
family physician pumped him out with
great professional skill. Then the
public became aroused, and in two
hours the arrogant bank man stood be-
fore the world as the robber of his
banks capital. surplus and deposits.
There was nothing left but the empty
vault. The elegant house. the gor-
geous plate, the carriage horses. all be-
longed to the fashionAb Able wife. The
creditors of the bank could only whistle
and mourn-and hunt up the grand
jury. Then the naughty banker be-
came .'insane" and was hurried of to
the asylum. But the grand jury-it
was a Jersey grand jury-took no
heed Of the insanity and indict-
ed the bank man all the same. They
said: "IIe may be insane now, but
he'll probably get all right in time.
Wen be ready for him when he comes
OUT And they were. In few weeks
the asylum physician informed the au-
thorities that the bank man was no
longer insane. if he ever had been. So
one morning the culprit was carried in
to court, was pursuaded by his friends
to plead guilty, and the court-it was
Jersey court sentenced him to four
years in the penitentiary at Trenton.
Before Sundown of the next day he was
within the walls, and the next morning
the naughty bank president was set to
work starching clothes in the prison
laundry. And now the prison philan-
thropist who may wander into the Tren-
ton Criminal Refuge may sec at one ta-
BILE, engaged in his humble work, the
erstwhile aristocrat of the Jersey bank.
while directly opposite him at the same
table is the lively young colored girl
who but recently was dweller beneath
his roof. The naughty banker starches
the female linen and the saucy young
female irons it. 1t is spectacle to
make the angels weep.-Boston Herald.